What are some character storylines or retcons that you just found...unnecessary?

[Tzigone]

I'm not talking about anything you hated with a passion or thought truly damaged a character. Just something you saw no point to, or thought caused more problems than opportunities or seemed too convoluted. Maybe you mildly disliked said event or revelation, but mostly felt like "why?"

For me, Iris West Allen being born in the future. While I'll grant that it was used numerous times (instead of just once and then forgotten), it always felt unnecessary to me and just didn't really add anything to the character, and I didn't enjoy the storylines that utilized it.

For readers of old Impulse comics, I'd like to add giving White Lightning powers. Perhaps I am misremembering and the powers were present earlier, but it seems like she was a totally non-powered human who appealed to teenage boys, then all the sudden she had the power to charm. No point to it, and it made the character a little bit less fun to me.

[Riv86672]

Joe-El being alive and evil.

Barry Allen being brought back to life.

Tim Drake being bisexual.

Hal Jordan having been possessed by Paralax becoming the Spectre coming back back to life.

Booster Gold being Canadian (j/k).

[MoneySpider]

DC turning Black Lightning's daughters into his nieces.

[Mutant God]

DC turning Black Lightning's daughters into his nieces.

First Steel has a niece, now Black Lightning has 2 nieces whats next Rocket is going to find out she is Icon's great great grand step(?) niece lol

[Tzigone]

DC turning Black Lightning's daughters into his nieces.

I could mention Barbara Gordon being made Jim's niece/adopted daughter/possibly bio daughter, but I at least think I understand the "why" in that case (at least for the first two). The several times Lucius Fox's kids have been altered, on the other hand...well, I can't deny there was lasting impact, but it still seems like most of what was done could have been done without reshuffle. Well, the earlier things, anyway. Not so much the latest, I guess.

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

Guy Gardner's half-Vuldarian DNA being rewritten to full human in GL: REBIRTH just to completely reverse him to his pre-Warrior status quo at the exact same time they were restoring Hal Jordan to being a live and a GL again. Why did the one have to affected by the other? Why couldn't Guy be both half-Vuldarian AND a Green Lantern?

[Holt]

Barry Allen gaining a tragic backstory involving a murdered mom.

[K7P5V]

Martian Manhunter no longer considered a founding member of JLA

[Photon Torme]

Hal Jordan returning. Barry Allen returning, Damien Wayne existing. Revolving door death and resurrections, at least half of the ugliness befalling Sue Dibney in Identity crisis. Evil Max Lord. Jon Kent.

[Tomkatie]

Martian Manhunter no longer considered a founding member of JLA

I'll take it back one further, Wonder Woman no longer considered a founding member of JLA

[Psy-lock]

The origin of Diana's name in the Post-Crisis continuity. It's like answering a question that no one ever asked.

[Tzigone]

Barry Allen gaining a tragic backstory involving a murderer mom.

Revolving door death and resurrections, at least half of the ugliness befalling Sue Dibney in Identity crisis.

I have stronger negative feelings about these than the thread calls for.

Martian Manhunter no longer considered a founding member of JLA

I admit the early Satellite League is my favorite iteration and he wasn't really there, so I've never thought of MM as the "heart" of the JLA like some do. But that's no reason for him not to be a founding member. Since your image is not founding members, can I ask why you picked it for this post? I mean, it's a nice one, but doesn't really seem tied to the text.

They should just focus on telling good stories with their individual characters and leave that whole multiverse angle alone.

Again, I have stronger feelings on this on than this thread calls for.

[Will Evans]

DC turning Black Lightning's daughters into his nieces.

At least it’s retcon back now

[bat39]

I could mention Barbara Gordon being made Jim's niece/adopted daughter/possibly bio daughter, but I at least think I understand the "why" in that case (at least for the first two). The several times Lucius Fox's kids have been altered, on the other hand...well, I can't deny there was lasting impact, but it still seems like most of what was done could have been done without reshuffle. Well, the earlier things, anyway. Not so much the latest, I guess.

A good rule of thumb for whether a retcon can stand the test of time or not is whether adaptations incorporate it (or it survives the next reboot). Barbara not being Jim's daughter is a clear example of one which didn't stand the test of time. Hell, I didn't even remember it until you brought it up

I'm generally a big fan of Byrne's MOS and his take on Superman, but the birthing matrix and the idea that Kal-El was technically born on earth just seems...pointless, in hindsight. Yes, it was an attempt to drive home how he prioritized his human upbringing over his alien heritage (in stark contrast to the way things were immediately Pre-Crisis) but I don't see how his being born on earth, and depriving us of the iconic visual of Jor-El and Lara placing their infant son in the rocketship, really adds to that. And it's worth noting that not a single adaptation, including those that replicate Byrne's take in almost every other aspect, has bothered with this change.

[Riv86672]

Martian Manhunter no longer considered a founding member of JLA

^^^yeah that sucked.
It’s weird for me because I was actually happy-ish w. Cyborg in the JLA, as it’s something that’s been alluded to since the 1985 Galactic Guardians cartoon, through the ‘03 cartoon where he wanted to break out on his own.

The ish part is I remember thinking it shouldn't have come at the cost of J’onn’s founding member status and Cyborg’s Titans legacy.